Recloseable carton with tear open spout



April 15, 1969 T. v. LUGT ET Al. 3,433,565

RECLOSEABLE CARTON WITH TEAR OPEN SPOUT Sheet l of 2 Filed Dec. 26, 1967 April 15, 1959 T. v. LUG-r ETAL 3,438,565

RECLOSEABLE CARTON WITH TEAR OPEN SPOUT Filed Dec. 2e, 1967 sheet' 2, of 2 ATTCRNEY United States Patent O 3,438 565 RECLOSEABLE CAR'IN VVITH TEAR OPEN SPGUT Thomas Vander Lugt and Merrill J. Coe, Kalamazoo, Mich., assignors to Brown Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 693,447 Int. Cl. B65d 5/72, 17/00, 5/54, 5/70 U.S. Cl. 229-17 10 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A sealed carton having a hinged tear open spout or spooning area provided with grip means protruding from the spout ap to facilitate opening of the same. rI`he carton is also provided with a reclosure feature which permits the carton to be locked in a closed position after the seal is broken. And, the carton blank for producing the same.

Background of the invention Cartons made of paperboard having a pour spout in a side partition or on the top or bottom are well known in the art. Such cartons are particularly well suited to serve as packages for sugar, starch, dry milk, soap powder, and other powdered items, since the spout provides a convenient means by which the contents of the carton may be removed with a minimum of spillage. However, in most instances the consumer does not use the entire contents of the carton, and therefore it is most desirable to have the carton recloseable, so as to afford protection to the remaining contents. Further, to protect the carton contents from spilling out in the event of accidental dropping or turning over, it is especially useful to have a pour spout which may not only be reclosed, but which may be locked in the closed position. Prior cartons having such a recloseable and lockable pouring spout have hitherto been most costly and diicult to assemble, and, have generally not been found satisfactory because of the difficulty encountered by the consumer in opening the carton through the pour spout.

Easy opening features have required perforations or weakened areas which also weaken or destroy the sift proof characteristics of the carton.

It is therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a sift proof carton having a hinged, tear open spout which may easily be reclosed and to provide means to facilitate the opening of the same. It is a further object of the invention to provide a readily openable and recloseable carton which will retain its sift proof features.-

Another object of this invention is to provide a unitary blank from which the carton may be produced.

Summary of the invention The above mentioned and many other beneficial objects and advantages are attained in accordance with the present invention by providing a carton, the inner cover panel of which includes a series of perforated slits defining a removable section which serves as the carton spout. A cut scored tab protrudes from the forward edge of the removable section and extends beyond the score line forming the interface between the inner cover panel and front side panel. The outer cover panel includes a series of perforations extending from the free edge thereof to the score line, forming the interface between the outer cover panel and rear wall panel. These perforations define the spout lid.

During assembly, the carton is sealed by adhesively fixing the outer cover panel to the inner cover panel in a standard manner with the exception that an adhesive 3,438,565 Patented Apr. 15, 1969 free zone is maintained about the periphery of the removable section of the inner cover and the protruding tab. The lid forming section of the outer cover ts over the spout defining portion of the inner cover so that when the adhesive sets, the spout adheres to the inner surface of the outer cover panel. A score line traverses the lid at a point substantially corresponding to the forward edge of the spout and the forward edge of the lid may be folded over on this score line to form a locking lip which cooperates with cut slits extending from the forward edge of the spout in forming the relooking feature of the present invention. After the carton is assembled, the spout may conveniently be opened by pulling on the forward edge of the cut scored tab. This will cause the top layers of the tab to peel from the lower layers. At the same time, the lid will separate from the outer cover since it is adhesively affixed to the tab. When the peeling advances to the forward edge of the pour spout, a section covering the spout will sever from the inner cover panel, forming an opening into the carton interior, since this section is cut through except small bonds which hold a removable section covering the spout in position only until opening of the package. Thereafter, the outer cover sections within the lid defining perforations will tear since that portion of the outer cover is not axed to the inner cover and the lid will be formed extending to the rear score line that thereafter serves as a hinge for the lid. When it is desired to reclose the carton, the forward portion of the lid may be folded on the transverse score line thereby forming a lip which engages the inner cover portions adjacent the forward edge of the spout.

Description of the drawings Reference is now made to the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view, viewed from the surface forming the carton exterior, of a cut and scored blank for forming a carton in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a completely assembled carton produced in accordance with the present invention depicting the carton in a sealed condition;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the carton depicted in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the carton of FIGURE 2 after the pouring spout is opened; and

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 after the carton is reclosed.

Description of the preferred embodiment Reference is now made to the drawings and in particular to FIGURE l wherein a blank 12 for forming a carton 10 in accordance with the present invention is depicted as comprising a rear wall panel 14, a front wall panel 16, and sidewalls 18 and 20. A glue flap 22 is connected to the free edge of the rear wall panel 14 and is adapted to be adhesively affixed to the side wall 20.

The bottom of the carton is formed in a standard manner and includes inner end flaps 24 and 26 which are hingedly connected to the side panels 18 and 20` respectively and bottom panels 28 and 30 which are hingedly connected to the front and rear panels.

The top of the carton consists of an inner cover panel 32 hingedly connected to the front wall panel 14 and an outer cover panel 34 hingedly connected to the front Wall panel 16. Top inner flaps 36 and 38, the free ends of which have been cut back, so as not to interfere with the opening mechanism to be described forthwith, are connected to the upper ends of side panels 18 and 20. A glue tab 40 extends from the upper end of the glue ap 22 and a similar tab 42 extends from the lower end. The inner cover panel 32 includes a removable section 44 disposed within severance line 46 which is cut through except for small bonds or land area 46a. The removable section 44 forms the spooning or pouring spout through which the contents of the carton may eventually be removed. The top and sides of the removable section 44 are chemically treated with a glue resistant coating, varnish or ink, so as to repel any adhesive that may be applied to the carton top to seal the same.

The treated area described above is depicted in FIG- URE 1 as the cross-hatched Section referred to by reference numeral 48. l

A cut-scored, generally triangular section 50 is disposed somewhat below the lower edge 52 of the spout 44. The base 54 of the triangular section 50 is centered about and somewhat shorter than edge 52. Full cut slits 56 and 58 connect the extremities of base 54 to edge 52. The sides 66 and 62 of the triangular section 50 depend below the lower edge 52 of the removable section 44 toward the score line 64 which forms the interface between the inner cover panel 32 and the rear wall panel 14. The apex formed by sides 60 and 62 is located below score line 64 close to the top of the rear wall panel 14.

A second zone treated with glue repellent ink is represented on FIGURE l by the cross hatched lines referred to by numeral 66 and is disposed about those portions of the sides 60 and 62 of the triangular section 50 located on the inner cover panel 32. It should be noted that separation is maintained between the zones 48 and 66.

As was stated, triangular section 50 is cut scored into the blank 13 which is produced from paperboard or other similar material. The depth of the cut is approximately one half the thickness of the blank, although this thickness is not critical. One skilled in the art and familiar with the properties of paperboard will readily appreciate that the cut portion 68 of the triangular section may therefore easily be peeled from the remainder of the blank and, also that such peeling will be limited to the area within the cut score line.

The outer cover panel 34 is hingedly connected to the rear wall 16 through score line 72 and is adapted to fit over the inner cover panel 32 when the carton is assembled. A lid portion 74 is provided on the outer cover panel defined within perforation lines 76 and 78 which extend from score line 72 to the free edge 82. A score line 80 extends the width of the lid and the lid area between the free edge 82 and the score line 80 serves as a locking flap to secure the lid 74 to the carton top in a closed position after the carton has been initially opened, in the manner depicted in FIGURE 5.

Referring briefly to FIGURE 3, it is to be noted that the relative dispositions of the removable spout section 44 and the cut scored triangular section 50 are such that when the carton is assembled the lid covers the entire area within the boundaries defined by the glue repellent ink. It is also to be noted that score line 80 overlies the base of triangular section 50 when the carton is sealed and that the width of the lid 74 measured along the score line 8) is substantially equal to the base of the triangle measured from slit 58 to slit 56. Since score line 80 extends between the innermost portion of the two inwardly directed perforation slits 84 and 86, the width of the lid 74 or locking fap 88 at any point other than the score line 80 between them will be greater than the width of the lower edge 94 of the spout or the base 54 of the triangular section.

The carton is assembled in accordance with procedures well known in the art and to this end, either the top or bottom may be initially sealed prior to filling. For purposes of this preferred embodiment it is to be assumed that the carton is to be bottom filled. Accordingly, as a first assembly step, glue fiap 22 is adhesively afiixed tol side panel 20. Thereafter, the carton is squared by Suitable means, such as a squaring machine and, prior to filling the top is closed by folding top tuck flaps 36 and 38 and glue tab 40 inwardhI and aixing them to the un- 4 derside of the top inner cover panel 32. Adhesive is then applied to the outside of the inner cover panel 32 and the outer cover panel 34 is folded inwardly and affixed thereto. It is to be remembered that sections of the inner cover panel have previously been treated with adhesive repellent ink and hence no adhesion will occur at those locations.

The carton may then be filled. After filling, the bottom is closed by folding flaps 24 and 26 and glue tab 42 inwardly and affixing the inner cover panel 28 thereto after which the outer cover panel is atiixed to the inner panel. The carton is now in the sealed condition depicted in FIGURE 2. This ligure also depicts the position that the apex 90 of the triangular section 50 will assume when the carton is assembled.

To open the carton, the forward edge or apex 90 of the triangular section 50 which forms the opening tab is pulled up causing the top surface to peel away in the manner previously described. Since the lid 74 is adhesively afiixed to the top of the tab 50, the upward force exerted on the tab will also cause the perforations 76 and 78 to rupture, thereby separating the lid from the top outer cover panel 34. Similarly, the removable section 44 is afiixed to the lid. Hence, as the lid is raised the bonds or lands 46a will be severed and removable section 44 will sever along severance line 46 from the inner top cover panel 32, thereby producing an opening 92 into the carton interior, as shown in FIGURE 4.

To reclose the carton, the lid 74 is folded downwardly along score line 30 so that the lid or locking flap S8 is formed which may be inserted into the opening 92 as depicted in FIGURE 5. The portion of the inner panel 32 immediately forward the forward edge 94 of the opening 90 and interposed between slits 56 and 58 will have been suiciently `weakened by the peeling described above to yield when the lid flap is inserted therein. The lid is locked in position by the interference that results between the lid and the inner cover panel.

We claim:

1. A sealed carton having an end closure adapted to form a tear open pour spout comprising front, rear, and side walls forming a body portion and having an end closure comprising inwardly folded opposed tuck fiaps and inner and outer cover panel sections adhesively affixed to one another along selected zones; said inner cover panel including a removable section disposed within pery foration slits, the periphery of which comprises an adhesive free zone, and a cut scored tab section extending from below the removable section to the forward edge of said inner cover panel, the cut portion of the tab being peelably separable from the remainder of the inner cover panel and the periphery of said tab comprising an adhesive free zone; and, said outer cover panel includes a lid portion defined by two spaced perforation slits extending from hinge means on said outer panel to the forward edge thereof, said lid portion overlying and adhesively joining the tab portion and removable portion of the inner cover panel.

2. The carton in accordance with claim 1 -fwherein said peelable tab portion includes a protruding section extending beyond the forward edge of said inner cover panel, said protruding section forming gripping means by which said carton may be conveniently opened.

3. The carton in accordance with claim 1 further comprising locking means including two cut slits on said inner cover interposed between and connecting said removable section and said tab section, said slits being separated from one another by a distance substantially equal to the width of said lid; wherein said slits cooperate with the forward portion of the lid in forming a locking assembly for retaining said carton in a closed condition after it has been initially opened.

4. The carton in accordance with claim 2 wherein said removable section is substantially rectangular, said cut scored tab section is substantially triangular, and said grip means comprises an apex of said triangular' tap.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 3 wherein said lid includes a score line traversing the width thereof along a line substantially overlying the forward edge of the removable section and those portions of the lid forward said score line cooperate with the forward edge of the removable section and said slits in forming the locking assembly.

6. The carton in accordance with claim 5 wherein the lid is defined within inwardly directed perforation slits and said score line traversing the lid extends between the innermost portion of said perforation slits so as to provide an interfering engagement between the inner cover portions adjacent said cut slits and the portions adjacent said perforation slits.

7. The carton in accordance with claim 1 formed from a unitary, integral blank.

8. An integral blank for forming a carton having an end closure adapted to form a tear open spout cut and scored to provide front, rear, and side wall panels hingedly interconnected; bottom aps hingedly connected to the lower edge of said side panels; bottom inner and outer cover panels hingedly connected to the lower edge of said front and rear wall panels; a glue ap aixed to one of said walls and having top and bottom glue tabs extending therefrom; top inner aps hingedly connected to the upper edge of said side wall panels; an inner cover panel hingedly connected to the upper edge of said rear wall panel and including thereon a removable section dened within a plurality of perforation slits, a cut scored tab section extending from a point below the lower edge of said removable section toward the score line interface between said top inner cover panel and front wall, and two cut slits connecting the removable section and the cut scored tab section, wherein the peripheral edges of said removable section and said tab section not interposed between said two slits are treated so as to repel any adhesive applied thereto in the assembly of the carton; and, a top outer cover panel hingedly connected to the front wall panel and including a lid portion defined within two perforation slit lines extending from the score line interface between said rear wall panel and said outer cover panel to the free edge of said outer cover panel, said lid being so disposed upon said outer cover panel as to overlie the removable section and tab section of the inner cover panel when the carton is assembled.

9. The carton blank in accordance with claim 8 wherein the outer surface of said cut scored tab portion includes a portion extending beyond the interface between the inner top cover panel and the rear wall, said portion being adapted to project away from the rear wall panel when the carton is assembled thereby forming convenient gripping means for opening the assembled carton.

10. The invention in accordance with claim 9 wherein said tab portion is triangular and the extending portion comprises an apex of said triangular tab.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,739,348 12/1929 Blackwell 215-51 2,010,972 8/1935 Weiss 229-17 2,819,831 1/1958 Polarek et al. 229-17 2,866,586 12/1958 Moore 229-17 2,983,422 5/ 1961 Miller 229-17 3,180,553 4/1965 Schreiber et al.

3,185,377 5/1965 Moore 229-17 3,185,578 5/1965 Scharfe.

3,372,853 3/ 1968 Rumberger.

DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 229-51 

